Talks for Teens

Real Success (45-60 minutes)

This talk helps teens think about what they really need to achieve success – close relationships, a commitment to repairing the world, tenacity, creativity, and an innovative spirit--and guides them how to withstand the pressures that suggest that their grades alone determine their future. It prepares them to confront the forces that lead to perfectionism, which stifles their creativity and leads them to feel unacceptable, even to themselves. A realistic and expanded understanding of success helps teenagers to understand that all people are uneven and that our challenge is to find and pursue our unique gifts.

Coping with Life (45-60 minutes)

Life can be tough. All of the problem behaviors we fear in adolescents (acting out, school avoidance, cheating, eating disorders, cutting, drugs, alcohol, running away, etc.) are essentially coping strategies that push away stress for a little while but create more pain in the long term. Successful, happy people use alternative strategies that allow them to deal with life’s expected--and unexpected—problems in healthy ways. Teens who have a repertoire of positive coping behaviors don’t need to turn to self-destructive behaviors when something difficult comes their way. This talk introduces a comprehensive stress management strategy that teens can tailor to meet their own needs.